“Look and think before opening the shutter.
The heart and mind are the true lens of the camera.”
— Yousuf Karsh
It has been a long time since my last Photo Walk. Winter in the Pacific Northwest is often rainy, dark, and cold. It affects my mood more than it affects the beauty of my surroundings. I struggled to leave my warm, flannel bed this morning, but when I looked out the window, I saw the fog and sun in a dance of the Present Moment. I grabbed my camera and headed outside my door into the big world of the temporal rainforest. This is the story of One Walk with lenses.
I have only one lens for my camera: the one issued with my Canon Rebel T3i – 18-55mm. It also has some helpful pre-sets for close-ups and landscapes which I use quite frequently. I also bring along the lenses on my eyeballs and my varifocal eyeglasses. I am rarely without those.
The lens of my mental state has been fixated on the cold and my longing for sunshine. I visited the chickens in the yard and thought about their being cooped up outside all winter, albeit with down coats to cover themselves.
Oregon cold is not the same as Wisconsin cold. I’ve discovered that it’s wetter. It’s more colorful, too.
I wish I could imbed the experience of walking around here into this post. The ground is thick with fallen needles, ferns, rotting wood, Oregon grape, mosses, lichen. It’s springy and moist as well as colorful. There are literally worlds underfoot.
After a short ramble, my fingertips are numb. I head back inside to the warmth of my garage loft studio apartment. I have a bird’s nest view out my window.
scillagrace 
Priscilla, I’m so glad I helped motivate you to get out with your camera because your images and descriptions are beautiful. I like the ice on the leaves and the fog coming around the trees. I too have had a difficult time getting out with my camera. We have a week off from the rain here in Sacramento. I hate going out when it’s cold and damp. Take care and find an indoor venue when it rains again.
Thanks, Anne. I hope you are well and recovering from the recent tremendous storms.
Things are drying up here, trees are being cut and the sun is shining. We think there will be more rain this weekend. Hope you are okay.
The upside being that reservoirs and aquafers are filling up. 🙂
Yes, there’s always an upside! Hopefully this next rain will get us out of drought. Take care.
Sometimes it takes a lot just to go out… too cold, too wet. But for me it’s worth it every single time as it was for you with this walk. Wonderful photos.
Thanks, Sofia. Yes, always worth it!
Wonderful photos – love the first moody one especially. Maybe because that is what it looks like here now. And yes, I am not one for photographing in cold and wet places. My fingers stop working too. I go out in any weather – I have a dog! But no camera!
Thanks, Ann-Christine. I don’t have a Motivational Milo, but I have a hiking group that gets me out at least once a week in every weather.
Good!
Loved it! ….your Aunt Sandy
(Now visiting in Florida, where your grandparents used to live.)
Hi, Aunt Sandy! Thanks for popping by. I hope you’re nice and warm!
Priscilla – I loved your approach this week, and especially loved that the challenge got you out into this winter wonderland! Your opening quote and closing statement both made me smile and the images are truly beautiful. I especially loved the two images covered in frost. Beautifully done.
Thanks, Tina. 🙂
Priscilla, I used to live in the hills between Eureka and Arcata. Your walk brought me right back to winter walks in the dense, redwood forest.
Hi, Michael! Glad to have brought a little PNW to you on the East Coast. 🙂
Great photos. Misty forest roadway is my fave.
Thanks, John!
What beautiful macros, Priscilla. I love the magic of the NW rain forest. You are so right about having more color where you are during cloudy winter. Here in Michigan’s winters it can be pretty monochromatic. I am drawn to every little bit of color I can find.
Thanks, Pat. Yeah, the monochrome endures for quite a while…and then those first Spring Beauties are a miracle!
Your words and photos took exactly to the Present Moment you spoke of. I remember all the smells of the forest when I lived there. Always something to tempt the senses, isn’t there? Love your leading quote, the chicken and the frost, but my favorite photo is of what I think might be a Douglas fir with the spider web. I didn’t notice the web until I looked the second time. I guess that spider had a walk too. Always nice, and hooray for going outside.
Thanks, Donna. Yes, Doug-fir is the dominant species of tree around here.